The Chelsea Inn Motel’s windows are boarded up and the building is under federal control following a dramatic dawn raid Friday morning that involved FBI SWAT officers, Anchorage Police, and the US Marshal. The operation, which targeted a suspected narcotics distribution hub, led to the federal seizure of the property amid an ongoing criminal investigation.
At approximately 6 am on Aug. 22, law enforcement teams executed a high-risk search warrant at the notorious motel, located at 3836 Spenard Road. Flashbangs were used to breach the building, and officers conducted room-by-room searches while detaining occupants in a nearby parking lot. Arrests were made at the scene, although the FBI had not yet released names or details about those taken into custody.
Federal authorities formally posted legal documents on the building’s exterior announcing the seizure of the property. A prominent sign from the US Marshals Service now hangs in one of the lower boarded-up windows, warning: “United States Marshal No Trespassing.”
Also posted on the building is a federal civil lawsuit filed under Case No. 3:25-cv-00177-SLG, titled United States of America v. Chelsea Inn Hotel. The suit seeks court approval for the judicial forfeiture of the hotel, alleging it has been used to facilitate ongoing drug trafficking activity.
Beside it is a copy of the “Notice of Seizure for Judicial Forfeiture” that outlines the federal government’s claim that the hotel was used for the distribution of controlled substances, specifically fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine.
The legal action effectively transfers control of the property to the federal government, pending court approval, and prevents public access to the premises, which may pose a significant health hazard due to the accumulated drug residue.
The Chelsea Inn has long been a source of concern for Spenard neighbors and neighboring businesses. The property has been linked to violent incidents, including a fatal stabbing in June and a shooting in 2023.
Dunn & Bradstreet lists James Su as the president of the Anchorage Chelsea Inn Corp.
Hooray! So tired of the vagrants hanging around that dump at all hours.
This right here is it. !!!
What I Voted For
Used to be a church in the old days.
But God has left the building.
In the 1980’s it was renovated into a boutique hotel and ran that way for several years. Sad to see such demise.
That hotel was cool -I stayed there several times. Then the whole place devolved into a shameless den of iniquity. Thanks to you, Feds, for cleaning it up. I have mixed feelings about your overall involvement in what is essentially a local problem to solve. But in this case, you got it right, Shame on State govt (i.e.; l Dunleavy) for not being able to act quickly and efficiently enough to do the job.
How about APD and the idiot Mayor that you probably voted for? I don’t believe the Gov has purview over Stankorage.
While I’m ALL for shutting down illegal drug operations, hosting violent criminals, and similar nefarious conduct, I’m not a fan of civil forfeiture unless the owner is proven complicit in the activities. “Knowingly ignored” is a strong indication of complicity. Will be interesting to see how this all falls out.
When you own a derelict building and ignore (or are complicit) in the nefarious activities going on in the premises, you are essentially enabling this activity. There are laws against “nuisance” properties and their inherent illegal activities. Same as if you use a vehicle to transport controlled substances, said vehicles can be confiscated.
I’m not certain that’s a lot different from what I said…. Or rather, implied.
In that I know nothing about the facility (nuisance property) and the goings-on within, I only raise the issue of civil forfeiture because it is too often deployed in an unwarranted fashion. If this case fits the bill, then it’s a good thing, so long as the perp pays the demo bill.
As I said, “Will be interesting to see how this all falls out.”
Unless as in this case the property is owned by a member in good standing of the Chinese Communist Party.
That’s 1, few more to go.
Wonder who owns the Chelsea Inn Motel?
Last sentence in the article: “ Dunn & Bradstreet lists James Su as the president of the Anchorage Chelsea Inn Corp.”
And you can bet James Su and the rest of the Anchorage Chelsea Inn Corp. knew exactly what was going on there.
Apparently now we tax payers ALL do!
I speculate Su is well rewarded, maybe controlled, by a drug cartel.
They also own 2 nice houses up on the Hillside.
Crime pays ….. if your the kingpin.
Well, you’ll know or we should KNOW (sooner or later) who’ll will get it after all the legal stuff is settled and remodeled, YOU GUESS IT…The Assembly will turn it into another homeless “camp?”.
Good.
Hunter Biden is looking for another spot to reup when he is in the area.
James Su is noted as an influential figure of Chinese descent, deeply connected to the Chinese American community. He is the founder and CEO of EDI Media Inc., the largest Chinese American multimedia company in the U.S., headquartered in Los Angeles. He has actively worked to bridge Chinese and American cultures, promoting Chinese heritage and bilingual media content aimed at Chinese immigrants in the U.S. This demonstrates his ethnic heritage and strong ties to Chinese culture and community. Is a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
Maybe the recent SWAT/ICE/HLS raid in the LA area which included Cartel Illegal migrant & drug activities is linked to this seizure.
So he’s a fenty pipeline point
SU.
Chinese surname.
Distributing fentanyl & meth …… isn’t that “special”?
When you end the lawfare against your opponent, we get down to the work federal authorities should be doing – going after the bad guys. The FBI and the Treasury Department would never have gotten Alphonse Capone if they were spending time targeting political opponents. Today, if you break the law – a real law – federal authorities will come after you.
On the video I saw, there was an IRS investigator there as part of the raid. They’ll follow the money back to whoever is the big guy- just like they did with Hunter Biden and other big crooks. Good job.
Operations like this look good on the surface, but dealers will rejoice as it drives up prices (and thereby profit margins) even more.
So… stop enforcing the law to bankrupt the dealers?
I am not sure what point you are making here.
Buyers remorse
Remember the old tune? “–I woke up, it was a Chelsea morning!–“
“And the first thing that I heard …… was the ramming at my door & the sounds of flash bang bombs”
“Now do The Black Angus”
I can’t wait to read some nonprofit leader write a piece like “This pillar of the community was a safe space for our community’s most vulnerable and is just the latest example of this administration’s unprecedented overreach”
This place has been a crime den since for forever. I was amused earlier this summer when they were having “garage sales” in the parking lot which was undoubtedly items stolen from people’s garages in the surrounding neighborhood.
Then the Econo Inn on 5th Ave …. another slumlord situation.
Big hoopla… Then Su pays off the judge & goes free to do business at another location, which he buys with cash from his profits. Meanwhile, feds stuck with derelict building and the deconstruction bill. Feds sell the vacant lot at a discount, Homeless Industrial Complex buys lot & builds another Chelsea Inn, Jimmy Su moves his operation back in… Everybody happy, happy, happy, & wealthier, except taxpayer and grieving families.
Not sure what you are advocating for here.
It kind of reads like you think we should not enforce the law, ignore the dealers that are targeting the vulnerable, and let the criminals be free to do whatever they want.
.
Did I get that right?
This is the top comment on Alaska’s News Source youtube video about the raid:
“When I was cleaning up homeless camps we found cases and bottles of injectable fentynal with providence and alaska regional tags on them, tried to turn them into a.p.d while Lauren maxwell and her camera person where recording, an achorage assembly member told her an her camera holder if they ignored the fentynal and didn’t report it then she would get first interview and information concerning homeless abatements and shelter closers.”
Suzanne, thank you for your excellent reporting on this topic and in so many more! Would it be possible to find out more about this James Su? One comment suggested he is a member of the Chinese communist party? Many of us have concerns that the Chinese government may be ‘fueling’ drug problems in the US to undermine our nation. IS there any evidence that James Su might be involved in this way? ‘Enquiring minds wish to know more!’ Thanks again!
One down….lots of properties and crime areas to clean up. Thank the Feds for doing the job.
KTUU has never been anything but extreme leftist. There have been a few non-leftists working there, but very rarely!
How about the Black Angus? Hope that POS “hotel” is on the hit list. Does the State still use it as their TB sanitarium?
From Alaska News Source:
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Chelsea Inn owner Kyoung Seo and 36-year-old Chantel Fields with conspiring to maintain a drug-involved premise at the Chelsea Inn. The charges were announced by by Michael J. Heyman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, at a Monday press conference held.
Court documents claim Seo and Fields began conspiring together and with others to maintain the hotel for the purpose of distributing controlled substances beginning in October 2020. It is alleged Fields used the Chelsea Inn to store and distribute drugs and directed people looking to buy drugs to their dealers living on the premises.
Where is the assembly they seem to be a no show.
Maybe they could move some of the many homeless into the building before winter sets in. Or would that be too caring or thoughtful?